. >> amid the bustle of broadway, against the bad economy and the crushing competition at the strand the show goes on. it started more than 80 years ago. this independent bookstore has beaten the odds surviving the great depression, world war ii and fred bass, who was a baby when his dad started the strand says the store is enduring these tough times, too. >> we have good books and good prices. lately we've been selling a lot of new books at discount, but it's mostly used books or bargain books that we sell, or out of print books. >> the strand's eclectic approach allows it to appeal to a broad array of clients hunting the trivial and treasured on the shelves like this rare copy of ulysses. >> how much are we selling this one for? >> 20 bucks. >> the strand success is about more than inventory. employees top to bottom must possess a deep knowledge of books and embrace the idea they're maintaining a business but also a community. >> there's just a comfort here where people feel willing to open up and just have 30-minute conversations with you in the aisles even when you probably shoul